WHAT WENT WRONG

In this bonus episode Chris and Lizzie share their unfiltered thoughts on Rian Johnson’s ‘Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery’, and discuss the surprising (and potentially mis-marketed) message of the film. Find out which stars stood out in an all-star cast - we’re looking at you Josh O’Connor & Daryl McCormack - and which were completely unnecessary. We also discuss how the impending Warner Bros./Netflix or Paramount merger will change the landscape for movies like this. This episode DOES CONTAIN SPOILERS ! Listen with caution. *CORRECTIONS: Chris mistakenly asserts that 2019's Captain Marvel underperformed - it did not. He confused it with 2023's The Marvels. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Christmas classic that was never intended to be a Christmas classic! This week, Chris & Lizzie explore the many versions of Frank Capra's It's a Wonderful Life that we were nearly gifted, complete with adultery, murderous doppelgängers, and political intrigue. Plus, why Jimmy Stewart worried Hollywood had passed him by, the invention of a new kind of snow, and suspicions of a communist agenda. *CORRECTIONS: Jimmy Stewart won his Oscar for The Philadelphia Story in February of 1941, the same month as he enlisted, not one year prior, as Chris incorrectly stated, and he played Macaulay "Mike" Connor, not C.K. Dexter Haven (played by Cary Grant). Tums is calcium carbonate , not calcium chloride (which is a salt used as a de-icer). Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When 'Bad Santa' hit theaters in 2003, audiences got a filthy, chaotic Christmas classic. What they didn’t get was the movie director Terry Zwigoff or producers the Coen Brothers intended to make. In this episode, Chris and Lizzie uncover how Bob Weinstein became the real villain of 'Bad Santa'—seizing Zwigoff’s cut, alienating the Coens, and waging war on anyone who tried to protect the film. Plus: why Billy Bob Thornton was nowhere near the first choice to play Willie, and why Zwigoff’s controversial director’s cut is the Christmas miracle you absolutely need this year. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We are who we choose to be, and if Brad Bird hadn't chosen to be a pain in the ass, we'd never have The Iron Giant. This week, Chris & Lizzie are joined by Alex Steed of the You Are Good podcast to explore the complex history of The Iron Giant. From children's stories to profound loss, The Iron Giant's journey to our homes was one of falling apart and coming back together again. *Please note that today's episode includes mention of suicide and domestic violence. *CORRECTIONS: Chris mispronounces composer George Bruns' name as "Burns". The first Disney animated film to extensively use CGI was "The Great Mouse Detective" (1986). Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When the Maysles brothers showed up at Grey Gardens, they thought they were filming a quick piece on Jackie O’s quirky relatives. Instead, they uncovered Big and Little Edie Beale—an isolated mother-daughter duo living in shocking squalor, feeding raccoons in their attic, and completely frozen in time. In the second episode of Out of Frame, Lizzie and Chris are joined by Watch What Crappens hosts Ben Mandelker and Ronnie Karam to unpack the wild behind-the-scenes story of the 1975 documentary ‘Grey Gardens’. Discover how the film survived production chaos, what became of the Beales afterward, and how two women behind the camera ultimately saved the entire project. Each episode of Out of Frame investigates the darker, more obscure corners of Hollywood history and shines a light on the offscreen lives of some of our favorite onscreen stars. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There’s no 'Toy Story' without Pixar, and there’s no Pixar without… Steve Jobs. To celebrate the 30th anniversary of the first computer animated feature film ever, Chris and Lizzie dive into the story behind 1995’s absolutely miraculous 'Toy Story'. Find out why an early version of Woody made Disney almost pull the plug, how Tim Allen changed Buzz Lightyear, and why George Lucas let Pixar slip through his fingers for only $10M. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lizzie and Chris discuss Guillermo Del Toro’s newest film, “Frankenstein” - Del Toro's approach to adapting his favorite book of all time, Jacob Elordi's last minute casting, and where it ranks in the Del Toro filmography. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What if you got a do-over on the score of a lifetime? Would you take your shot, or walk away? Join Chris & Lizzie as they infiltrate the incredible crew behind 'Heat' and learn how Michael Mann was finally able to pull off his sprawling LA crime drama yet still ended up getting robbed… Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Michael Mann meets his match in one of the most dedicated method actors of all time: Daniel Day-Lewis. Join Chris and Lizzie as they chronicle Mann’s obsessively detail-oriented 1992 historical epic ‘The Last of the Mohicans’. Find out how on-set strikes and last-minute firings caused turmoil behind the scenes, and why ‘Dances with Wolves’ inspired Russell Means (Chingachgook) to join the cast… but not for the reasons you might think. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chris, Lizzie, and David dive deep answering some of our audiences most piercing questions followed by a discussion about the relationship between creative control and financial interest in filmmaking. For the full episode join the $5 tier subscription or above on Apple Podcasts or Patreon at Patreon.com/whatwentwrongpodcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Paint your leaves yellow and orange and scatter them across the yard, because it's springtime in Pasadena and Halloween is coming to town! Chris & Lizzie plumb the depths of the real Michael Myers, how John Carpenter's career was saved by UK audiences, and why you should never show anyone your movie without music. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When Natalie Wood drowned in 1981 she was only 43 years old. Thanks to films like ‘West Side Story’, ‘Rebel Without a Cause’, and ‘Miracle on 34th Street’ she was an icon, but she’d been out of the spotlight for almost a decade. Wood was in the midst of filming her comeback, ‘Brainstorm’, when she, her co-star Christopher Walken, and her husband Robert Wagner took their yacht out for Thanksgiving weekend. What happened that night depends on who you ask… and when you ask them. Join Chris, Lizzie, and special guest Daisy Eagan from Strange and Unexplained for the first episode of our bonus series 'Out of Frame' where we’ll investigate the darker, more obscure corners of Hollywood history. In this episode we’ll find out if Wood’s death sank her final film, or if ‘Brainstorm’ had something to do with her death. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In 1999, a found footage documentary showed audiences the terrifying last days of 3 intrepid filmmakers before they disappeared forever. Thanks to the popularity of the film, their mothers received condolence calls and police offered to reopen their case - there was just one problem… they were actors and they were very much alive. ‘The Blair Witch Project’ shattered box office records thanks in no small part to its brilliant viral marketing campaign. But while studios made millions, its incredibly talented young stars were essentially left for dead. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week Chris and Lizzie dive into Wes Craven's nightmares, bask in Johnny Depp's nauseatingly green performance, and marvel at Freddy Krueger's culinary inspired makeup. Plus, how Bob Shaye's leap of faith on Elm Street gave us Peter Jackson's "The Lord of the Rings", Wes Craven's failed attempts to make a nice movie, and the unexpected benefits of setting yourself on fire, literally and otherwise. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tom Cruise was thrilled to be cast in 1994’s ‘Interview with the Vampire’ - he'd been a fan of the books since his teens. Imagine his surprise when he found out that author Anne Rice absolutely hated him. Join Chris and Lizzie as they break down this bloodsucking behind the scenes battle of the wills! Find out why this movie took almost 20 years to make, what made Brad Pitt utterly miserable on set, and which part Cher almost played! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As we crawl into spooky season, Lizzie pries open the caskets of vampires past. Join us for a plunge into the dark history and shimmering evolution of the vampires we all know and eternally love, from their origins in Eastern Europe to the Anne Rice renaissance and beyond. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Who has nine lives, one Oscar, a Razzie and a check for $12-14 million? Halle Berry, and we love her for it. This week, Chris, Lizzie and Ryan Bailey (of the 'So Bad It's Good' podcast) explore a cinematic furball solidly centered in the pantheon of so bad its good greatness. They dive deep on Catwoman's origins, then throw them away just like Warner Bros. did in an effort to make a movie for... cat lovers? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Elephants, dysentery, and cannibalism, oh my! Join Chris and Lizzie as they venture down the river in 1951’s ‘The African Queen’. Find out why Katharine Hepburn, Humphrey Bogart, and John Huston ventured to Africa to escape HUAC, how they were terrorized by bugs, and why John may have accidentally… eaten a person. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How did two Bobs, fresh off back-to-back flops, the studio's second choice sitcom star, and a script that changed more than Marty's future, er, present, become one of the most beloved movies of all time? Plus, Sid Sheinberg's terrible title ideas, the origins of "nuking the fridge," and how Crispin Glover girded SAG for the AI battle of the 2020s. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What if Rob Reiner hadn’t directed ‘This Is Spinal Tap’? What if the classic 1984 rockumentary had never even existed? This week Chris and Lizzie go to eleven with a behind the scenes look at why no one wanted to finance Spinal Tap, how Tom Petty served as inspiration, and why it took 36 years and a $400M lawsuit for its creators to finally get paid. In honor of ‘Spinal Tap II: The End Continues’, join us on this journey behind the scenes with one of England’s loudest bands. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Come see us live! Oct. 8th and 9th at the Caveat Theater in Manhattan! Head to cheerfulearful.com/podlifeevents.com and click on our show dates for tickets! They say one man's dream is another man's nightmare, but what if your nightmare is the leading man of your dream? Join Chris and special guests Casey O'Brien and Mille De Chirico of "Dear Movies, I Love You" as they head down river with Werner Herzog's "Fitzcarraldo", a Sisyphean endeavor to bring a Sisyphean endeavor to the silver screen. Check out https://www.squarespace.com/WRONG to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using WRONG. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Between overly involved band members, a completely absent director, and a huge legacy for lead actor Rami Malek to live up to, ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ had more than its fair share of problems. This week Lizzie and Chris dive into one of the messiest biopic productions in movie history and discover why it took so long to FINALLY fire director Bryan Singer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

You’d be hard pressed to find someone who’s contributed to more of your nightmares than Alec Gillis. He’s behind creature designs for monsters from Predators to Xenomorphs, Graboids, to brain bugs and everything in between. Join Chris and Lizzie as they discuss his career, creatures, and his favorite James Cameron memory. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How do you satirize a self-serious sci-fi staple? Any way you can! This week, Chris & Lizzie drop in on Paul Verhoeven's widely misunderstood anti-fascist spectacle and try to figure out how the cast of 90210 was employed to battle some of Phil Tippett's best-looking creations on Klendathu. Come see us live! Oct. 8th and 9th at the Caveat Theater in Manhattan! Head to cheerfulearful.com/podlifeevents.com and click on our show dates for tickets! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join Chris as he creeps and crawls through humanity's fear of some of its most helpful planetary cohabitants: bugs, and how they have evolved as on-screen foes. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.